BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The science resilience fellow of the National Resilience Council has called on media professionals here to evaluate the impact of their storytelling on disaster preparedness and risk reduction management (DRR).
During a gathering on Nov. 28 at the Iloilo City Operations Center, members of the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps engaged in discussions designed to enhance their DRR reporting.
The event highlighted the media’s pivotal role in shaping public understanding and fostering effective responses to disasters while maintaining ethical standards.
Jessica Dator-Bercilla, a strong advocate for ethical DRR reporting, challenged journalists to rethink their approach to disaster coverage.
“We often think disaster stories are ‘sexy,’ but I ask you, ethically and morally, do you think it’s sexy?” Bercilla asked, encouraging participants to reflect on their reporting practices and their alignment with social responsibility.
She emphasized the importance of understanding the interconnected components of risk creation — vulnerability, exposure, and hazards — and how they collectively contribute to disaster scenarios.
Bercilla further stressed that DRR reporting serves a strategic purpose beyond storytelling. She highlighted its potential to drive proactive action and policy changes.
“The purpose of disaster risk reduction is not just to report on disasters but to prevent them. It is about action, not just telling stories,” she said, encouraging the media to use their platforms to promote proactive measures and resilience-building initiatives.
Key topics during the event also included unpacking the complexities of disaster reporting, the role of the media in raising awareness about disaster preparedness, and strategies for fostering resilience through impactful storytelling.
In addition, Dator-Bercilla expanded on the multifaceted dimensions of disaster risk reduction (DRR), highlighting its intersections with politics, health, gender, and cultural integration. “DRR is not just about disasters. It is also a health issue, political, cultural, and often, what makes a good DRR story is that it’s investigative,” she explained, urging media practitioners to dig deeper into the systemic factors influencing disaster outcomes.
The session delved into the critical concepts of hazards and the importance of precise disaster characterization in media reports.
“When you report, you need to really break down and characterize the hazard,” Bercilla pointed out, warning that mischaracterizations can lead to public misconceptions and hinder effective responses. She called on media professionals to adopt a more strategic role in DRR efforts.
Bercilla underscored their capacity to drive policy change and raise awareness about disaster risks and prevention strategies, stressing that ethical and well-informed reporting can be a powerful tool in building community resilience./PN
